Life's a Tricky Thing to Conquer
by PokerFace1213
Summary: Victoria is a 14 year old girl who happened to be born into some tricky circumstances. After her father murdered her family members and left her for dead, a nasty Windhelm guard sent her to the Riften orphanage. Umber, Balfour, and Oates find her there. Oates immediately bonds with the brash 6 year old and Umber agrees to adopt her. 8 years later, they have Sophie & apparently Hap.


This is my first ever fanfic so it will probably be awful. I decided to write a fanfic for the most awesome trilogy ever, The Books of Umber by P.W. Catanese. It is also a sort of crossover with a video game called Skyrim. Yes this will have my OC in it, Victoria Elizabeth Vendicci. So please read and enjoy! Criticism is welcome.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of P.W. Catanese's work or that of Simon &

Schuster's Publishing or any of Bethesda games. I only own Victoria Elizabeth and her history and character.

Vic's POV

As Umber, Oates, Sophie, and I made our way through the maze of tunnels, we held a small conversation. Oates was becoming impatient as was I, when we finally neared it. "Is this the place? Fine. Get the thing, whatever it is, and let's get out of here." Oates said in his normal, deep voice. Umber replied to him with the words "Hush, Oates. Where's your sense of adventure?". "I think this is it Lord Umber." Sophie said, her first words in over an hour. "It's about time." I said, rolling my gray eyes. What we saw surprised us all. A small boy was sitting there in the dark. What was most peculiar to me was his bright, emerald eyes. It seemed like id read something a long time ago about the people with green eyes. No, id heard about them... Something that my brother told me I think. But I couldn't remember anything about them really. Umber decided to make the first move since he seemed almost paralyzed. I don't blame him. Oates and I aren't exactly the most... Friendly looking people. Of course we both had good reasons. Just nobody knew mine. Lord Umber tilted his head, and although I couldn't see his face, I knew he most likely had a huge grin on his face. I'll never understand how that man can smile so much. "Well," Umber said, chuckling. "We didn't expect to meet anyone down here." He looked back at the corridor. "This is the place. The map couldn't be clearer." Umber let go of the parchment with one hand. It was inclined to curl, and so it rolled up instantly. Umber stuffed it into one of the bulging pockets in his vest.

Oates, jabbed his elbow into Umber's side, hard enough to make the smile falter for a moment. "Umber... his eyes!" Oates whispered. I glared at Oates for saying that which made him look slightly apologetic, but not for long as Umber hissed "Oates, your manners!" The boy touched the corners of his eyes. He probably thought he was injured. "What's wrong with them?"

"Nothing, young friend," Umber said, shooting a peeved look at Oates. "They're remarkable, actually. Quite striking."

"They're weird. I don't like them," said Oates, thrusting his sizable jaw forward."

Before Umber could say anything, I snapped at the man I considered a father. "Oates, you're making a bad impression, so I suggest you shut up before I muzzle you." I meant every word I said. And Oates could tell as he shrunk down a bit a didn't comment. Umber shot me a thankful look for yelling at him, mostly because Oates cares more about what I say than what Lord Umber says. His annoyed expression turned into a bright one as Umber turned back to the mysterious boy.

"Actually young man, we came here looking for something." We both looked around the room, but the only thing in there was the boy. "I don't see anything, though, except for you. What is your name?" The boy opened his mouth as if to reply but someone else spoke for him.

"Call him Happenstance," a voice said. I didn't see anyone but the boy, apparently named Happenstance, in the room. "Who's that? Who's there?" Oates said, raising his spear. "Umber put his hand on Oates's heavy shoulder. "Let's not make primitive threatening gestures at every stranger we meet, Oates."

Umber peered around the room, trying to find the mysterious voice. Things just keep on getting stranger and stranger the longer I stay with Umber. It's already been 8 years.

"Hello, stranger. Come out and talk to us. You have nothing to fear."

"Nothing to fear but something to lose," the singsong voice replied. "Happenstance himself is what you came for. Take him, Umber. Keep him with you. You'll need him, if you're serious about that task you have in mind." Another person to add to our already weird group? Ah, what the heck. Happenstance doesn't seem too bad. Despite his long name.

Sophie at Umber. "What task is that, Lord Umber?" I had a sneaking suspicion I knew.

Umber shrugged. "I haven't the slightest," he said, but for an instant the boy saw an uncertain look in the man's eyes. Umber raised his voice to address the stranger again. "You know me, but your voice is unfamiliar. Do I know you, sir?" Somehow I got the feeling that the stranger knew us but we didn't know him. "Not by name or face." Came the sing-song voice yet again. "Umber scratched the back of his head. He turned as he spoke, not sure where the stranger hid. "I don't think I understand. Tell me, sir—was it you who sent me that note, about the treasure I'd find in the buried city?"

"The chance exists," the stranger practically sang. Every time he talked we all looked in different directions to find him. I eventually gave up seeing no point in trying as I thought we would probably never find him anyway. Oates looked ready to attack the stranger if he so much showed his face.

"No time for questions now. There's a note in the boy's pocket," the stranger said. "You'll find some"answers there. As for you, Happenstance—farewell! Good fortune!" The stranger didn't stop speaking; instead, the voice faded until it could not be heard. What a strange world we live in I thought.

Oates glowered and Sophie was shifting nervously from foot to foot. I just stood there with my normal blank expression, not wishing to talk much but rather grab Happenstance and go. Umber cleared his throat "So," he said, addressing the boy "Your name is Happenstance?"

"I... I guess so." Said boy replied. "Oates grunted. "You guess so. You call that an answer? Umber, I told you the boy was weird."

"Oates!" snapped Umber. He clenched his fists, and then shook the fingers loose and pointed toward the archway that we'd come through.

"Sophie, Vic, take Mister Loose-lips and step outside for a moment. I'd like to talk to … er, Happenstance before Oates makes a permanent bad impression."

"Come, Oates," Sophie said, tugging his sleeve. We left the chamber, taking the lamp with us. Probably not the nicest thing to do but I knew that Lord Umber almost always had a jar full of Glimmer-worms with him. We stood a little ways from the archway so they had their privacy. Not that I hadn't eavesdropped a little bit as I heard Umber mention something about Happenstance's nocturnal vision and shortening his name to Hap. That's easier to say.

"So," Sophie said quietly, breaking the wonderful silence. "Where do you suppose the worm is?" I pondered the question but had no sure idea before answering. "I haven't the slightest, other than it will probably be in a larger space." Oates snorted out a laugh. "I don't know either but let's hope Lord Umber just runs." I laughed at this. "Since when does he ever do that?" I asked playfully. "You know we have to almost die for him to want to even think about leaving." Oates let out a light grunt in agreement. I went back to my thoughts, blocking the small conversation Oates and Sophie were holding. I realized how tired I was after not sleeping well last night. I leaned gently into the large truth teller's side and he wrapped a strong arm around me protectively. I was the only one he really hugged or was allowed to hug him. He was practically my second father. I was glad for that as my first one was not very nice. In fact he beat me until I had broken bones on occasion until he literally threw me out of the house. He had killed my mother, my 3 brothers, and my older and younger sister. Well, I didn't see my oldest brother or my sisters get killed as I was tossed out beforehand but I presumed they were dead. They would have looked for me if they were alive. I lifted one of my gloved hands and looked at them. I have worn finger-less gloves since I was 6 and was sent to the Riften orphanage by a nasty Windhelm guard. They didn't like half Nord, half Imperials like I was. I was shaken, literally, from my thoughts as a loud tremor shook our surroundings.


End file.
